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= = = Divisions and suburbs = = =
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Many of Oldham 's present divisions and suburbs have origins as pre @-@ industrial hamlets , manorial commons and ancient chapelries . Some , such as Moorside , exist as recently constructed residential suburbia , whilst places like Hollinwood exist as electoral wards and thoroughly industrialised districts . Througho... |
A large portion of Oldham 's residences are " low value " Victorian era Accrington red @-@ brick terraced houses in a row formation , built for the most part from 1870 to 1920 , to house the town 's cotton mill workers . There is more modern housing in the semi @-@ rural east of the town , in the most sought after are... |
One of the oldest recorded named places of Oldham is Hathershaw , occurring in a deed for 1280 with the spelling Halselinechaw Clugh . Existing as a manor in the 15th century , Hathershaw Hall was the home of a Royalist family in the 17th century who lost part of their possessions due to the English Civil War . Waterh... |
Recorded originally as Watergate and Waterhead Milne , it was for a long time a hamlet in the parish of Oldham that formed a significant part of the Oldham Above Town registration sub @-@ district . Derker was recorded as a place of residence in 1604 with the name Dirtcar . Bound by Higginshaw to the north , Derker is... |
Coldhurst , an area along Oldham 's northern boundary with Royton , was once a chapelry and the site of considerable industry and commerce , including coal mining , cotton spinning and hat manufacture . It is said to have been the scene of an action in the English Civil War in which the Parliamentarians were defeated ... |
= = Demography = =
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According to data from the United Kingdom Census 2001 , Oldham had a total resident population of 103 @,@ 544 , making it the 55th most populous settlement in England , and the 5th most populous settlement of the Greater Manchester Urban Area . This figure in conjunction with its area provides Oldham with a population... |
Oldham , considered as a combination of the 2001 electoral wards of Alexandra , Coldhurst , Hollinwood , St. James , St. Marys , St. Pauls , Waterhead and Werneth , has an average age of 33 @.@ 5 , and compared against the average demography of the United Kingdom , has a high level of people of South Asian heritage , ... |
During the 1950s and 1960s , in an attempt to fill the shortfall of workers and revitalise local industries , citizens of the wider Commonwealth of Nations were encouraged to migrate to Oldham and other British towns . Many came from the Caribbean and Indian subcontinent and settled throughout the Oldham borough .
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Today , Oldham has large communities with heritage from Bangladesh , India , Pakistan and parts of the Caribbean . At the time of the 2001 census , over one in four of its residents identified themselves as from a South Asian or British Asian ethnic group . Cultural divisions along ethnic backgrounds are strong within... |
With only a small local population during medieval times , as a result of the introduction of industry , mass migration of village workers into Oldham occurred , resulting in a population change from under 2 @,@ 000 in 1714 to 12 @,@ 000 in 1801 to 137 @,@ 000 in 1901 In 1851 its population of 52 @,@ 820 made Oldham t... |
In 2011 , 77 @.@ 5 % of the Oldham metropolitan borough population were White British , 18 @.@ 1 % Asian and 1 @.@ 2 % Black . While in the town of Oldham , which had a 2011 population of 96 @,@ 555 , 55 @.@ 4 % of the population were White British .
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= = Economy = =
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For years Oldham 's economy was heavily dependent on manufacturing industry , especially textiles and mechanical engineering . Since the deindustrialisation of Oldham in the mid @-@ 20th century , these industries have been replaced by home shopping , publishing , healthcare and food processing sectors , though factor... |
Park Cake Bakeries , sold in 2007 by Northern Foods Group to Vision Capital , have a large food processing centre in Hathershaw , which employs in excess of 1 @,@ 600 people . Over 90 % of the cakes produced go to Marks & Spencer . Long existing as an industrial district , Hollinwood is home to the Northern Counties H... |
Oldham 's town centre contains the highest concentration of retailing , cultural facilities and employment in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham . It has been extensively redeveloped during the last few decades , and its two shopping centres , Town Square and the Spindles , now provide one of the largest covered retai... |
Ferranti Technologies is an electronic , electromechanical and electrical engineering company based in Waterhead .
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A number of culinary and medical advances have been developed in Oldham . There are claims that Oldham was the birthplace of the first chip shop . The sometimes disputed claim of trade in deep @-@ fried chipped potatoes is said to have been started around 1858 – 60 from an outlet owned by a John Lees , on what is the ... |
The tubular bandage was invented and developed in Oldham in 1961 . That " vital contribution to advancing medical science " resulted from a collaboration between local firm Seton and a cotton manufacturer in the town .
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= = Landmarks = =
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= = = Town Hall = = =
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Oldham 's Old Town Hall is a Grade II listed Georgian neo @-@ classical town hall built in 1841 , eight years before Oldham received its borough status . One of the last purpose @-@ built town halls in northwest England , it has a tetrastyle Ionic portico , copied from the temple of Ceres , on the River Ilissos , near... |
In September 2008 , it was reported that " Oldham Town Hall is only months away from a major roof collapse " . A tour taken by local councillors and media concluded with an account that " chunks of masonry are falling from the ceilings on a daily basis ... the floors are littered with dead pigeons and ... revealed tha... |
In the heart of Oldham ’ s retail district , the Old Town Hall is being developed into a modern multiplex ODEON cinema .
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= = = War memorial = = =
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Erected as a permanent memorial to the men of Oldham who were killed in the First World War , Oldham 's war memorial consists of a granite base surmounted by a bronze sculpture depicting five soldiers making their way along the trenches in order to go into battle . The main standing figure , having climbed out of the ... |
Commissioned in 1919 by the Oldham War Memorial Committee , the memorial was designed and built by Albert Toft . It was unveiled by General Sir Ian Hamilton on 28 April 1923 , before a crowd estimated at over 10 @,@ 000 . The monument was intended to symbolise the spirit of 1914 – 1918 .
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The inscriptions on the memorial read :
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Over doors to the north : " DEATH IS THE GATE OF LIFE / 1914 – 1918 "
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Over window to the south : " TO GOD BE THE PRAISE "
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= = = Civic Centre = = =
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The Civic Centre tower is the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham 's centre of local governance . The 15 @-@ storey white @-@ brick building has housed the vast majority of the local government 's offices since its completion in 1977 . Standing at the summit of the town , the tower stands over 200 feet ( 61 m ) high . It w... |
= = = Parish Church = = =
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The Oldham Parish Church of St. Mary with St. Peter , in its present form , dates from 1830 and was designed in the Gothic Revival Style by Richard Lane , a Manchester @-@ based architect . It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II * listed building . It was linked with the church of St Mary the Virgin ... |
A church building had existed on the site since 1280 . During this time , a small chapel stood on the site to serve the local townships of Oldham , Chadderton , Royton and Crompton . This was later replaced by an Early English Gothic church in the 15th century . With the coming of the Industrial Revolution , the popul... |
= = Transport = =
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The geography of Oldham constrained the development of major transport infrastructure , with the former County Borough Council suggesting that " if it had not grown substantially before the railway age it would surely have been overlooked " . Oldham has never been on a main @-@ line railway route , and canals too have... |
A principal destination along the former Oldham Loop Line , Oldham once had six railway stations but this was reduced to three once Clegg Street , Oldham Central and Glodwick Road closed in the mid @-@ 20th century . Oldham Werneth , Oldham Mumps and Derker closed on 3 October 2009 . Trains from Manchester Victoria st... |
Oldham had electric tramways to Manchester in the early 20th century ; the first tram was driven from Manchester into Oldham in 1900 by the Lord Mayor of Manchester . The system came to an end on 3 August 1946 , however . There was also a short @-@ lived Oldham trolleybus system , in 1925 – 26 . The £ 3 @.@ 3 million ... |
Despite the Turnpike Act 1734 , Oldham had no turnpike road to Manchester for another 56 years and Church Lane , Oldham remained part of the main street through the town . But following a further Act of Parliament a turnpike was constructed . The first regular coach service to Manchester came into operation in October... |
Oldham is about 4 miles ( 6 @.@ 4 km ) south of the major M62 motorway , but is linked to it by the M60 at Hollinwood , and A627 ( M ) via Chadderton . There are major A roads to Ashton @-@ under @-@ Lyne , Huddersfield , Manchester , and Rochdale .
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The Hollinwood Branch of the Ashton Canal was a canal that ran from Fairfield in Droylsden , through Littlemoss and Daisy Nook Country Park to the Hollinwood area of Oldham , with a branch from Daisy Nook to the Fairbottom Branch Canal . The canal was mainly used for the haulage of coal until it fell into disuse for c... |
= = Sports = =
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Oldham Roughyeds Rugby League Club was established in 1876 as Oldham Football Club , and Oldham Athletic Football Club in 1895 as Pine Villa Football Club . Oldham Athletic have achieved both league and cup successes , particularly under Joe Royle in the 1990s . They were Football League runners @-@ up in the last sea... |
They secured their top division status a year later to become founder members of the new Premier League , but were relegated after two seasons despite reaching that year 's FA Cup semi @-@ finals . They are currently playing in Football League One , the third tier of the English league . Darren Kelly was appointed as ... |
Oldham Boro Football Club was established in 1964 as Oldham Dew FC , and after many years playing under the name of Oldham Town changed its name to Oldham Boro in 2009 , finally becoming known as Oldham Borough just months before it folded . The team played in the North West Counties Football League before going out o... |
Renamed in 1997 to Oldham Roughyeds , Oldham Rugby League Club has received several club honours during its history , winning the Rugby Football League Championship five times and Challenge Cup three times . They played at Watersheddings for years before joining Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park until 2010 when they mo... |
Oldham also has a Fencing Club , Marshall Fencing Club is a Competitive Fencing Club with most of its members competing on the national stage . They train three times a week at the old South Chadderton High School .
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= = Education = =
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Oldham produced someone who is considered to be one of the greatest benefactors of education for the nation , Hugh Oldham , who in 1504 was appointed as Bishop of Exeter , and later went on to found what is now Manchester Grammar School .
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Almost every part of Oldham is served by a school of some kind , some with religious affiliations . According to the Office for Standards in Education , schools within the town perform at mixed levels . Hulme Grammar School and the Blue Coat School are consistently Oldham 's top performing secondary schools and each h... |
University Campus Oldham is a centre for higher education and a sister campus of the University of Huddersfield . It was opened in May 2005 by actor Patrick Stewart , the centre 's Chancellor . The University Campus Oldham presented actress Shobna Gulati and artist , Brian Clarke ( both born in Oldham ) with an Honora... |
= = Public services = =
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Home Office policing in Oldham is provided by the Greater Manchester Police . The force 's " ( Q ) Division " have their headquarters for policing the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham at central Oldham . Public transport is co @-@ ordinated by the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive . Statutory emergency fi... |
The Royal Oldham Hospital , at Oldham 's northern boundary with Royton , is a large NHS hospital administrated by Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust . It was opened under its existing name on 1 December 1989 . Formerly known as Oldham District and General , and occupying the site of the town 's former workhouse ( named... |
Waste management is co @-@ ordinated by the local authority via the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority . Locally produced inert waste for disposal is sent to landfill at the Beal Valley . Oldham 's Distribution Network Operator for electricity is United Utilities ; there are no power stations in the town . Un... |
= = Culture = =
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Oldham , though lacking in leisure and cultural amenities , is historically notable for its theatrical culture . Once having a peak of six " fine " theatres in 1908 , Oldham is home to the Oldham Coliseum Theatre and the Oldham Theatre Workshop , which have facilitated the early careers of notable actors and writers ,... |
During the 19th century the circus was a popular entertainment in Oldham ; Pablo Fanque 's circus was a regular visitor , filling a 3 @,@ 000 @-@ seat amphitheatre on Tommyfield in 1869 . Criticised for its lack of a cinema , there are plans to develop an " Oldham West End " . Oldham has a thriving bar and night club ... |
= = = Communal facilities = = =
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The Lyceum is a Grade II listed building opened in 1856 at a cost of £ 6 @,@ 500 as a " mutual improvement " centre for the working men of Oldham . The facilities provided to members included a library , a newsroom and a series of lectures on geology , geography and education , microscopy and chemistry , female educat... |
The Lyceum continued throughout the 20th century as a centre for the arts in Oldham , and in 1986 the local authority was invited by its directors and trustees to accept the building as a gift . The acceptance of the Lyceum building by the Education Committee provided the opportunity to move the music centre and " fur... |
Oldham ’ s museum and gallery service dates back to 1883 . Since then it has established itself as a cultural focus for Oldham and has developed one of the largest and most varied permanent collections in North West England . The current collection includes over 12 @,@ 000 social and industrial history items , more th... |
Oldham is now home to a newly built state @-@ of @-@ the @-@ art art gallery , Gallery Oldham , which was completed in February 2002 as the first phase of the Oldham Cultural Quarter . Later phases of the development saw the opening of an extended Oldham Library , a lifelong learning centre and there are plans to incl... |
= = = Carnival = = =
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The annual Oldham Carnival started around 1900 , although the tradition of carnivals in the town goes back much further , providing a " welcomed respite from the tedium of everyday life " . The carnival parade was always held in mid @-@ to @-@ late summer , with the primary aim of raising money for charities . It ofte... |
The carnival fell out of favour in the late 1990s but was resurrected by community volunteers in 2006 and rebranded the Peoples ' Carnival . The parade was moved into Alexandra Park in 2011 . The event hosts live stages and other activities alongside a parade in the park . In 2016 will be 10 years since the carnival w... |
= = Britain in Bloom = =
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